A review by epellicci
Animal: The Autobiography of a Female Body by Sara Pascoe

informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

Going into Animal, I was expecting Sara Pascoe’s biography. Comic, with a focus on how her womanhood has shaped her life. That is not what this book is, and I couldn’t have been more pleasantly surprised. Warm and witty, Pascoe examines femininity and sexuality from a historical and evolutionary psychology point of view. 
 
It isn’t the most thorough, or serious scientific book and a lot of the evolutionary ideas are heavily simplified, or as Pascoe points out herself, presented through the skew of personal bias. However, Animal remains a fantastic jumping off point for learning more about these topics and considering the experiences of others. I did feel a little bit like the book was dismissive of societal pressures and structure – in the nature verses nurture debate, Pascoe’s focus is very much on nature. But it was non the less a very enjoyable delve into another perspective.  

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